Visiting the Past
by Last Marauder of Five
Summary: How would the Salvatore brothers' life have been had Katherine travelled to Veritas with a friend?
1. Katherine

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries, neither the novels nor the TV series. The dialogues in this chapter are similar (only similar, I didn't copy them) to the ones in the book Stefan's Diaries: Origins, but it had to be that way.

The Veritas Estate was much larger than I had imagined. Katherine sat beside me in the carriage, smiling unnervingly. I knew what she was thinking. New place, new food, new adventures. Playing people was her favorite pastime and moving around made it possible for her to play a lot of people. As the horses came to a stop, I wondered why I had decided to come here, to take her up on her request. The coachman opened the door to our cab and Katherine climbed out, her white dress flying behind her. I could hear the heartbeats of a human outside and I sighted, pretty sure that I knew what was coming. Not that I didn't like flirting, I just preferred to do it after I had settled in. Somehow traveling in closed spaces got on my nerves and it took me some time to get back to normal. Right now I just wanted to see our rooms and have a walk around the garden, perhaps borrow a horse and have a run through Veritas.

- Good morning. – She said, smiling a smile that most people thought was flirty. I knew better than that.

- Hello, you are…- The boy answered. His look was slightly detached. I could only wonder what was going on in his mind.

- Katherine Pierce, and you…- She told him, almost laughing at his confusion. In my mind, I completed "also known as Katerina Petrova".

- Katherine… Sounds familiar. – The boy pondered. I wondered whether he was savoring the name or remembering something. All I really cared about at that moment was getting out of the carriage and that retarded boy wasn't making it easy.

- I'll be staying with you for a while. You are…- She was now playfully eyeing him, teasing him for not answering her. As amazing as that may sound, he didn't seem to care.

- Stefan Salvatore. I'm sorry, but I believe I wasn't informed of your arrival. – He answered quickly, like a scolded child.

- My family died on a fire in Atlanta. – Her expression became dark. She may be many things, but a bad actress wasn't among them – My sister, my maid and I were the only survivors. Your father was kind enough to host us. For that, you have my most sincere gratitude. – As she said my name I climbed out of the cab.

The boy's eyes rested on me for a long time before he turned his attention back to Katherine. We should make quite an impression on this small town, where they didn't get so many visitors. The only thing that bothered me was the fact that I knew as well as my travelling companion that our hunts wouldn't pass unnoticed.

- I remember now. I'm sorry for your family. – It was creepy the how easily people became attached to Katherine. Her newest toy, Stefan, was already getting protective. –My father made a point of getting the carriage house ready for you. Would you like me to show you the way?

- Thank you, but we will be fine. Stefan Salvatore… Giuseppe's son, if I am not mistaken. – She turned away from him, following the coach's lead. Just before she was too far away for human earshot, she said – Your name suits you.

I stood in the spot I had landed for some time before following Katherine. I didn't really want to move. Stefan was quite intriguing. I could tell that he was torn between the two new visitors he had, but at the same time he didn't realize that. As I forced myself to go after Katherine, I smiled. Maybe staying here wouldn't be as awful as I had thought.

The carriage house wasn't too bad. It sure wasn't like the hotels I sometimes used when travelling, but it would do. It was well-kept and had obviously been prepared for our arrival, as there was a bed in each room, the walls were freshly painted and the candles had been recently replaced. There were other pieces of furniture displayed around both rooms, but very few that we would actually need. I went over to the dresser and unpacked my things as fast as I could, eager to get it done with. After I was done, I placed all my books on the bookshelf, smiling at the titles on the bind. Most of them were older than that house, safely resting inside a box posing as a book.

Happy to be free, I ran out of the house to enjoy the day. Stefan had some kind of appointment, so I wasn't going to have him for company, but I could find something to do by myself. Though Katherine was my friend, I couldn't imagine having her for company for another second. I walked over to the stables and evaluated the horses. Most of them were in a very good shape, but I took a special liking for a black horse called Fulmineo. Really grinning for the first time in days, I climbed on his back and led him out of the stables. After that, I allowed him to run wherever he wanted. It would be easier to get to know the area like that.

Fulmineo, with me on his back, ran across the Estate, glad to be free for once. He trotted like there was no tomorrow, enjoying his newfound freedom. It seemed like it didn't mind my being on his back, so I relaxed and appreciated the show. Veritas had several acres of land, which included its own personal forest. Fulmineo raced through the tricky paths that he must have travelled several times before, as his pace didn't even falter. I closed my eyes and felt the wildlife all around, their heartbeats, their minds, their movements. I smiled, remembering the forest I used to travel everyday to get to the river, in what seemed like another lifetime. For most people, it was.

As the day became night and the sun was replaced by the moon, Fulmineo returned to his stable. "Smart horse" I thought "He knows it isn't safe to be outside in the night." Most humans didn't know that. I used to be one of them. It wasn't time for me to go to sleep yet, but anything I did outside at this time of the night would be very suspicious, so I returned to my new house.

I was glad to see that Katherine wasn't home. I really didn't want to hear all about her new plans and how she had conquered the heart of half the population of Veritas. I just wanted to settle down on my bed, read something and eventually fall asleep.


	2. Damon

Disclaimer: No, The Vampire Diaries isn't mine. No, I'm not L.. Do I wish I was? Yes. But I'm not.

Chapter 2 - Damon

The next day I woke up with sun shining on my skin and a face hovering above me. I cracked my eyes open unwillingly but smiled slightly when I saw who it was. Even though the day before I hadn't been in the mood to talk to her, now I wanted to know all about what had happened on her first day in her new house. She seemed eager to have a talk too, though I could see something else on her delicate features. Anxiety or hurry, something like that. I sat up on the bed, smiling at Katherine. I had fallen asleep without even covering myself, though for me it didn't make much of a difference, as I couldn't feel cold or hot. The other girl sat on my bed, pulling her knees up and grinning.

- What's up, Katherine? – I asked, curious and apprehensive at the same time.

- I'm going to have one hell of a day today! – She exclaimed, smiling so much it surprised me that her lips didn't tear apart.

- Are you planning on getting the boy? Stefan, is it? – I questioned, getting up from my bed and making my way to the bathroom the Salvatores had had installed for us.

- Yep. Have you found anyone interesting yet? – Katherine rolled over so that she was still facing me.

- No, though I did encounter a very good horse. Fulmineo. – I told her, distractedly.

I was hunting for some nice clothes. I was planning on getting to know some of the Salvatores. As they were our hosts, it was only polite that we spend some time with them. I knew I could count on Katherine to keep the youngest in check, but someone had to talk to the older ones. When I returned to my room, Katherine was gone. I could only hope she wasn't planning on stealing my new horse.

Giving up on my search, I put on the first dress I saw and sprinted out the door. By the position of the sun, I guessed it was somewhere around eight o'clock, so I ran to the main building, hoping the Salvatores hadn't gone out to do whatever they used to do in the mornings.

Upon reaching the back door I heard something. Shouting. Someone was having one hell of an argument in there. My curious side told me to listen in, but my other side was shouting at me that it was none of my business. Of course, my curious side won and I tuned my ears to the shouting occurring in the next room, which I gathered was the kitchen.

- You can't just run around doing whatever you see fit! You will go back right now and play your part in the world. – Giuseppe, I imagined. If he was Stefan's father, than the one he was shouting at should be Stefan.

- The army isn't my part in the world! Why can't you just accept that? – It wasn't Stefan. It was someone older, more rebellious.

I was tempted to enter the kitchen, though I didn't think I should interfere. But if this boy, Stefan's brother, was a deserter, then he was in deep trouble. He could be court-martialed, if not worse. Since I took his father to be a rather harsh and impulsive man, I decided to intervene before he sent a formal letter to the army.

I knocked on the door and, as I received no answer, I opened it. A dark haired boy was standing next to the door, his eyes filled with fury and disappointment, a look that was also drawn on his father's face. I could tell that they were more like each other than they were willing to admit.

- Am I interrupting? – I asked, sheer innocence leaking from my voice. Honestly, it disgusted me to talk in that tone.

- No, you aren't. – Giuseppe replied, though he sent his son a look that clearly said "we are not done here" – Please, have a seat. What did you want?

- Oh, I just wanted to get to know you. You were very kind to offer my sister and me a home. – My voice sounded sweeter than honey and my whole body language screamed "frail little sad girl". I hoped I wouldn't have to keep that up for too long.

- I'm very sorry, but I'm late for a business meeting. Perhaps we could talk tonight? – And with those words, Giuseppe left the kitchen.

I was rather glad that he had another appointment. I didn't like the way I had to be around him and I was much more interested in getting to know his other son, whose name I didn't know. He still looked upset, but his anger was fading away as he analyzed me. I was still sitting in the chair the boy's father had pulled for me, my legs crossed and my hands resting on my lap. But my whole posture had changed. I was acting like myself, not pretending to be a young girl who just lost her parents and is still getting over having everything she knew destroyed.

The boy pulled a chair and sat right in front of me, though the other way around. He looked into my eyes with a penetrating glare, as if he was trying to see into my brain. I glared back, only my glare was kind of teasing, as if ridiculing him. He smiled just slightly and got up, offering his hand for me to help myself up. I grinned and shook my head, getting up as well. I was sure I had found who Katherine had labeled as "someone interesting". I just had to find out his name.

- Damon. – He said, smiling in a very charming way. It took me a few seconds to understand what he meant.

- Julia. Julia Pierce. – I told him, my lips curving up in a genuine smile. Yes, I had found my "someone interesting", no doubt about it.

He offered me his hand again and this time I accepted. His fingers wrapped around my hand, caressing it while at the same time keeping a firm grip. He led me outside through the back door and then all the way to the very edge of the Veritas. During our walk I noticed some things I had failed to take in the other day. First of all, over half of the propriety wasn't inhabited, being used mostly for plantation, which made it a perfect place to hunt. But more importantly, I realized that if the horses knew their way around the Estate, than so did they owners, and Damon was clearly one of them, as he moved around the labyrinth of paths as if it was just a corridor. Though I didn't quite understand why, I felt happy. Maybe it was just the excitement of starting to picture my stay in the Veritas, but somehow I didn't think that was it.

We stopped just at the edge of the land, where a fence blocked the animals that lived in the slopes from entering and the several domestic animals from running away. There was a small patio built in a poorly paved area. It looked like it had been abandoned a long time ago, perhaps before the Salvatores even bought the Estate. The benches and tables were worn out and termite-eaten and the grass had long taken over the earthy path, but somehow the place had a charm I hadn't seen anywhere in Veritas.

Damon sat on one of the frail benches and called me over, laughing as I tested my seat's integrity before sitting. He pushed the ground with his feet lightly, making the hinges that held the bench up creak and the bench itself rock back and forward in a very soothing manner.

- Thanks for saving me back there. – Damon commented, not looking me in the eye.

- Sure thing. – I laughed, thinking about how embarrassed he should have been, saved by a girl right in front of his father's eyes – So you're a deserter? The military could have your neck for that one.

- I didn't like the army. It just isn't what I want to do with my life. – He told me.

I took a good look at him, especially at his bright blue eyes, and I could tell that the army really wasn't for him. He didn't strike me as a patriot or as the kind of person who will do everything to be a hero just so later, long after their deaths, someone would still know their names. The army wasn't the place for someone like him, even though his father thought it was. I smiled as I remembered Damon asking his father why he couldn't just accept that the army wasn't the part he should play in the world and one single answer came to my mind: "Nothing, it's just that when people think they make revolutionary things and other people fear change".

- Your father wasn't too happy about it. – I said, chuckling.

- I didn't expect him to be. He's a traditionalist, so he thinks that the goal of every man should be to defend their parties. – Damon sighed, lowering his eyes.

- I think you did well. You shouldn't follow a path that may define your whole life unless you want to. I know that the opinion of a girl you just met doesn't count a lot, but I just thought you should know. – I smiled, allowing it to show him the how truthful I was.

- It does count. More than my father's, anyway. – He said, smiling back at me.

We stayed in silence for some time, but that silence wasn't awkward like most, it was a comfortable pause in the conversation and it said more than a thousand words ever could. I was starting to enjoy my visit to Mystic Falls, which I had initially thought of as a mistake. Now, I was glad that I had taken Katherine up on her offer. She got Stefan, the younger and sweeter brother, and I got Damon, the rebel who deserted the army. It was a perfect arrangement.

I looked around the abandoned patio, wondering who had built it. I thought there hadn't been any civilization in this area before the Veritas Estate. And even if there was, why wouldn't Giuseppe use the patio instead of abandoning it? I couldn't figure it out but at the time it really didn't matter. I was content with just sitting in that bench, rocking back and forward, with Damon. When I first arrived here, it hadn't even crossed my mind that I might find romance in this small countryside city. I smiled at myself, thinking about how I could still be so stupid even after so many millenniums. I glanced at Damon and found him staring at the landscape, his eyes unfocused and a smirk on his lips.

- What's up? – I asked him.

- I was just thinking about the look that will be on my father's face when he finds out what I did today. – He informed me, with a mischievous smile. But I could hear the small sigh masqueraded in the end.

- Not nice, I guess? – I questioned, though I really didn't want to know.

- Not at all. – He answered. I just hoped he'd be okay. – But let's not worry about this now. Are you up for a ride? I mean, you do know how to ride a horse, right?

- I've never been more ready. – I grinned, more excited than I had been a few seconds ago.

We jumped up and raced to the stables, playing tag along the way. The wind rushed past me, carrying with it Damon's laughter. I was happier than I had been in quite a long time. As I ran and played with the older Salvatore brother, I wondered where Katherine was. She should have been with Stefan, but I hadn't seen him since the day before. But then I would hear Damon calling me and it wouldn't matter so much anymore. Just for that day, the world was ours to do as we pleased.

Finally arriving at the stables, I took Fulmineo out of his bay, caressing the horse's soft mane. Damon smiled as he watched my affection for the animal, turning away the second he saw I had noticed. It was my turn to smile, shaking my head slightly. Sometimes I just couldn't understand boys, with their one-worded conversations and unnecessary awkwardness. Damon helped his horse out of his bay and mounted it, tapping its neck lightly. I had to admire his taste. The horse was of a beautiful dark brown shade with a couple of white markings all around its body and it was probably one of the most majestic animals I had ever seen. "Its owner isn't too far behind" I thought, smiling.

We walked alongside, eventually chasing each other playfully. Every once in a while I would glance at the sky to see the sun getting closer to setting, its light becoming more orange by the minute. I knew that I couldn't keep Damon outside after sundown, not with all the things that happened in this town. Though I should be able to protect him, I didn't want to take any chances. After all, I would see him the next day.

Damon led me to the forest, running in as if daring me to follow. I laughed and trotted in after him, catching up with no problems. I could feel Fulmineo's apprehension, his desire to leave the forest. He hadn't been like that the day before, but I gathered it was just because it was getting dark, so I passed my hand through his mane, trying to calm him. I didn't realize that Damon had gone out of my view until I heard him calling after me, his voice tainted with a bit of worry. I smiled and rushed after him, wondering whether it would be better for us to just go home. But my adventurous spirit won over my worry for Damon's safety and I continued to follow the track deeper into the forest.

We finally arrived at a clearing, where I found out the reason for Fulmineo's fear. Lying in the middle of the grass, a deer, already dead, bled the last few drops of blood still in his body. I knew what had happened, but I had to keep it a secret for at least a couple of hours more. I had to be sure Damon wouldn't tell anyone. I climbed out of my horse and walked over to the deer, sighing. Katherine had to be more discrete if she wanted our presence here to pass unnoticed. Well, at least I knew what she had been doing while Stefan was out.

- Animal mauling? I didn't know we had predators in big enough to kill a deer in the forest. – Damon commented, eyeing the deer with innocent suspicion.

- It seems like you do. Come on, we should get out of here. It's getting dark and with this thing in the forest we better be careful. – I told him, worried that it may not have been Katherine that did that. I needed to check with her.

Damon nodded and climbed back on his horse, leading the way to out of the forest. I couldn't concentrate on one single thing. My mind was a mess of worry, suspicion and apprehension, making it hard for me to sort it all out. My eyes wondered from one side of the forest to the other, straining to see anything out of the usual. I was afraid for the safety of everyone in the Estate. Katherine wouldn't harm them unless they lost their appeal, but I wasn't sure she had been the one who killed the deer. The way it was just thrown in the clearing made it seem more like a warning than a disposal. I could only hope Katherine had been careless, nothing more.


	3. Atlanta

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries, neither the novels nor the TV series.

Chapter Three – Atlanta

The trip back to Veritas was silent. I was too busy trying to figure out if I had a reason to be worried about the Salvatores and Damon had caught up to my mood. He would glance in my direction every once in a while to be sure that I was okay, but he never said a word. My attention was divided between my thoughts, Damon and my surroundings. A long time had passed since I had last been so jumpy. Even the noise of the wind hitting the leaves in the forest put me on alert. I didn't know why, but I would have to look into it.

Once we arrived in the stables, we climbed off our horses and, still in complete silence, walked over to the main house. Just as we approached it, Damon got very tense. I stopped on my tracks, scouting the area with my amplified senses for a potential danger. Finding none, I looked at Damon, puzzled. He had the same look on his face, though I knew it had a completely different meaning. I shook the confusion out of my mind and smiled at him, running to catch up. I was still feeling rather insecure, but my main worry was for my hosts. I could take care of myself, as could Katherine, but Giuseppe, Stefan and Damon were only human. If a supernatural creature wanted to kill them, they would be an easy target.

• Do you want to stay here today? – Damon blurted out, hiding in the shadows in the hope that I wouldn't see him blushing. I almost laughed as I realized the why he had been so tense.

• It would be an honor, but I think it will have to wait for tomorrow. I have some things I want to discuss with my sister. – I answered, smiling and almost sighing in relief.

• Tomorrow it is. – He agreed, smiling charmingly as he bowed comically.

• See ya. – I waved at him, laughing.

I ran to the carriage house, grinning idiotically all the way. I felt ecstatic. I wanted this night to last forever, but at the same time I wanted tomorrow to arrive so that I could go out and see Damon again. I entered the small building and found Katherine laying on the tiny couch that had been placed on our simulated living room. I smiled, anxious to tell her all about my day. I sat down and saw Katherine's face change from concentrated to happy. I waited for her to say something, but as she didn't, I started:

• Remember when you asked me if I had found "anyone interesting"?

• Sure. – She answered, smiling wickedly.

• Well, - I continued, ignoring the look on her face – today a boy named Damon Salvatore arrived. I talked to him and…

• And you like him? – Katherine urged me. Oh, no. I knew that look way too well.

• What are you planning, Kath? – I demanded.

The last time she had worn that look things had ended very badly and it had been the reason I had stopped travelling around with her. Just a couple of decades ago Katherine and I were like sisters, always moving around together, sharing secrets and preys. But I made a mistake which I didn't like to even remember.

• I just thought we could turn them. Together. – She smiled at me menacingly.

• No. Not unless they want to. Katherine, I will not make the same mistake twice. I'm not you. – I was nearly shouting. She didn't need to say a word. I knew what she was thinking.

• Stop acting like that! You were much more fun years ago. – Katherine mumbled, rolling her eyes.

I knew there was no more arguing with her, so went to my room. I lay down on my bed and sighed. Katherine had some mood swings that even with my practice I couldn't handle. But bringing back that incident was more than I could handle after all what had happened this day, after meeting Damon and worrying over the deer. So I closed my eyes to sleep and in one second I was back in 1820.

_Atlanta, 1820 (before American colonization)_

_Katherine and I were in a dark room, our wrists covered by our own blood. On the ground, the bodies of two young adults, the first two settlers to ever come to Atlanta._

_The boys woke up, scared. They couldn't feel the heat of their bodies or feel their hearts beating, but they could hear the weak sound of the wildlife that surrounded them. They didn't want that to happen. They had warned us. Katherine wouldn't recognize that, even though I admitted to my mistake. With so many years of experience I should have seen this coming, but I wanted to go along with her and I ended up doing something I knew was wrong._

_The American government had sent a group of scouts to secure the area so that the colonization could start, but the two men, perciving us as danger, sent a message to their leaders, telling them that it wasn't safe to start the colony. After so many years of existence I knew the consequences of one seemingly small act, and though I usually didn't care, somehow this affected me more than I had expected. Most of the colonists died in the voyage back to nearest camp and the few ones that made it lost everything, from their lands to their family and hope. Katherine didn't think of that as our fault, but even though I didn't care as much as I should, I could't help but think that yes, it was our fault, or rather, my fault._

I woke up from my flashback-nightmare with a jump. My memories were a mess and I couldn't remember the details. The whole experience had been overwhelming and had happened in a period of my existence that was already going badly. I wondered if I should have forgiven Katherine. After the episode we had fought for weeks, during which time she asked me for my pardon innumerous times, but I refused to give in. We didn't speak to each other until a few days ago, when she invited me here. I had hoped that she had changed, but I could see she was just the same, always wanting to have everything, always willing to bet the life of many people on the assumption that everyone sees being turned as a gift, or that it would give her the opportunity to spend eternity with the ones she loved.

Maybe the Atlanta affair hadn't been the worse situation I had ever been in, in fact, it wasn't even in the ten worse ones, but it showed a side of Katherine I had tried to ignore but finally couldn't anymore. Perhaps I had been unfair, but now it was already too late, all I could do was try to keep her from harming anyone else.

I sighed. I still had to figure out whether it had been my new housemate who had killed the deer or if we were in trouble. And I had to add "try to keep Katherine from killing Stefan and Damon" to my list of to-dos. Just the perfect. As if one possibly very bad problem wasn't enough. Sure, turning the Salvatores wouldn't have as bad repercussions as turning the two settlers, but if it could be prevented, it should.

I turned to my side and closed my eyes, hoping that I would wake up the next day and know what I was supposed to do, even though I knew the chances of that happening were almost too slim to be counted. Sleep didn't come easily. My mind was restless, as was my body, so I kept turning and tossing around the bed, searching for a position that would make me relax and a thought that wouldn't bother me, but all I could find were uncomfortable poses and frightening images. Sleep only came after three hours, when I was exhausted both mentally and physically.


	4. Secrets

Disclaimer: As I've said in the last three chapters, I don't own The Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Four - Secrets

As expected, I didn't wake up knowing what to do. If anything, I was more confused than before. While I knew Katherine would turn them against her better judgement and their will, I knew I couldn't keep an eye on them forever, or even for the rest of their natural lives. I jumped out of bed the minute I remembered I still had to talk to Katherine about the deer. I had been so caught up on history repeating itself that I had completely forgotten about our brand new possible problem. I shook my head at myself, wondering why I cared so much about that specific family. For all I knew, other, less protected households, could be the hypothetical danger's target. But then again, the deer had been on Veritas' woods. It could be either a warning or a badly made disposal. I had to look into it. Laughing at myself for repeating my thoughts, I got dressed and ran out of the house, just making sure that Katherine wasn't home before leaving.

I stopped once I realized I didn't have any idea as to what I was searching for. I needed to talk to my disappeared housemate, which I gathered should be my priority, as everything in my investigation depended on her answer. But I also had to make sure that the Salvatores were unharmed, which was a priority as well and so I decided to go to the main building, where I had a reasonable chance of finding either one of them.

Upon entering the house, I heard some strange noises coming from Giuseppe's meeting room. Whispers tainted with fear and anxiety, the kind that you expected to hear from someone who was plotting something against their enemy. I wanted to listen in more closely, but I knew the risk of getting caught wasn't worth it. I could get this information from another source. So I just shook my head and put on a smile, trying to look as laid-back and relaxed as I could. After all, they expected me to be here enjoying all the peace Mystic Falls had to offer, not investigating a possible danger and keeping my roommate from turning the two youngest Salvatores.

With a smile on my face and a happy shine on my eyes, I entered the meeting room. There were three other men inside, all leaning into a large table, eager to see something. I was curious, but I didn't get a glimpse at the object because the minute I was spotted they hid it, trying to make it look like they were just four friends having a nice conversation in a morning like any other. I put on a smile again, masking my slight suspicion behind a cheerful facade. Giuseppe hurried to greet me, his features softening and his lips curving up.

- My dear girl! I thought we had planned dinner together yesterday! - He exclaimed, not looking angry, just pleased to see me.

- I'm sorry, I forgot! My sister and I got into an argument and… you know how it is. - I sighed. I wasn't lying, but I wasn't telling the whole truth either

- Oh, of course, of course. We all have our rough patches, I'm sure it'll pass. Now, this is Mr. Gilbert - He said, pointing to a slender man in the farthest corner of the room. He had one hand behind his back and the other one was hanging to his side holding a book - Mr. Lockwood - He pointed the one at the head of the table, who was standing up and taking the wrinkles off his expensive clothes - and Mr. Forbes - The man was leaning close to the doorway, eager to leave the tension-filled room. I could understand him, as I wasn't very happy to be there either.

- If you excuse us, Miss… - Started Mr. Lockwood, trailing off once he realized he didn't know my name.

- Pierce, sir. And yes, I was just leaving. - I told him, smiling my third fake smile of the day.

I couldn't say I wasn't glad to exit the room. Its air was thick with worry and apprehension, all covered up by a false happiness reserved only for those who weren't supposed to know that something was going on. I leaned against the corridor's wall in exasperation. The meeting they were having wasn't about the civil war, the most common cause for fear in the United States. Mystic Falls wasn't so involved in it, as it was just a small town which posed no threat to anyone. No, they were talking about an immediate danger and I intended to find out what was it.

Standing up straight with newfound determination, I decided to go to the kitchen to see if maybe Stefan and Damon were having breakfast. As I climbed down the stairs I heard the whispers start again in the meeting room. I sighed, wondering who else would know about this meeting so that I could compel them to tell me. Though usually it would bother me, I allowed my steps to be resonate in the empty corridor, showing the men that they could safety continue to discuss their secret agenda. As I arrived at the ground floor, I dimmed all my senses, leaving only my hearing at peak capacity. I smiled as my hopes were confirmed. The Salvatore brothers were happily eating in the kitchen, oblivious to the meeting occurring right above their heads.

It would have been foolish of me to just leave once I believed Stefan and Damon to be safe, so I calmed my crazed thoughts and entered the kitchen. They were laughing and chatting, enjoying each other's company more than I had imagined they would. It seemed like they hadn't talked in quite a while and I almost felt bad about breaking up their conversation, but I knew that it was impossible to be sure that they were safe without actually interacting with them, so I walked in and pulled myself a chair.

- Hey, Julia! I believe you have met Stefan. - Damon greeted me, nodding his head toward his younger brother.

- Stefan- I repeated, smiling in his direction - So, what shall we do today?

- Well - Started Stefan, fiddling with his fingers - I already promised Katherine I would keep her company today. I'm sure my brother will be able to entertain you, though.

- As am I. - I replied, just as politely.

- So, if you'll excuse me. - Stefan asked, getting up from his seat with a smile I couldn't recognize.

The youngest Salvatore bolted out the door, his lips so stretched up I was surprised to see that they didn't reach his eyes. I stared at the door for sometime, my mind working, trying to decide whether he was compelled into enjoying Katherine's company. It was something she used to do a lot when we were traveling together. But Stefan's smile was making me doubt the nature of his desire. Maybe he really did like spending time with her. I wasn't sure.

- Okay, so what are we going to do today? - Damon asked, bringing me back to the real world.

- I was thinking about having a tour of the forest, as we weren't able to complete ours yesterday. I just need to sort something out with Katherine.- Damon opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off- I know I told you the same thing last night, but I will be back, I swear. - And with those words, I was gone.

I wouldn't be able to relax until I had that sorted out. So I ran across the garden, following Stefan's smell, which I knew was going to lead me straight to Katherine. I wanted to talk to her when she was in a better mood, and I was sure that it was now, while she had her newest pet human around. I was curious as to whether he knew what his alleged friend had in mind for him. Turning someone was extremely easy, but if it wasn't carefully planned it could have disastrous consequences. The person had to be ready and know what to expect, otherwise the whole experience could be overwhelming and the newborn could turn against their creator.

I was still thinking about how to approach Katherine when I heard her laughter, followed closely by Stefan's. I smiled, glad that my prediction had turned out to be true. I didn't want to have a fight, neither a shouting match nor a physical conflict, out in the open. There was no telling who may have been watching us.

- What brings you to this end of the woods? - Katherine asked me, her smile becoming bigger.

- I just wanted to see my favorite sister. - I knew she wasn't all that happy to see me, but I also knew she wasn't as angry I had imagined she would be. I turned to Stefan and smiled pleasantly - Would you mind if I borrowed her for a second?

- Go ahead - He replied, his eyes never leaving hers.

I took my roommate's hand and dragged her out of human earshot, eager to ask her the question that had been bothering me since the day before. Though she didn't offer any resistance, I could tell that she was annoyed by my interruption.

- Is this about my plans of turning Stefan? Because if it is, know that I'm still going to wait for a while. Humans are quite entertaining. - Katherine informed me, her eyes shining at the thought of the entertainment humans provided. - They are so innocent, so oblivious...

- No, it isn't. It's about a deer I found dead in the forest. Was that you Katherine? Did you dispose of a deer in a clearing? - I asked her, the questions coming out of my mouth faster than I had expected.


	5. Founders' Council

**Disclaimer:** You know what? I don't own The Vampire Diaries. Big surprise, isn't it?

Chapter Five - Founders' Council

• You know I hardly ever feed of animals. - Katherine answered me, rolling her eyes - But why are you making such a big deal out of this? It was just a deer.

• There's someone on our tail, and whoever it is, they aren't very friendly. - I told her, organizing my thoughts as I spoke. - Klaus?

• No, he prefers to kill humans. I didn't feel anything since we got here. How could a vampire be around? - She asked me. I honestly didn't have an answer, but I knew that deer hadn't just dropped dead.

• I'll have to look into it. Just watch you back, Katherine. - I told her, trying to keep the emotion out of my voice.

I was left clueless. Katherine was right, Klaus wouldn't have preyed on an animal, as he found their blood disgusting. No, he would much rather enjoy the sweet taste of human blood and then use their bodies to whatever end he needed. I didn't know of anyone else who had a quarrel with either one of us, so all I could do was watch the woods during the night and hope Katherine would protect the Salvatores.

Then I had a promise to fulfill. I ran to the main house and entered the kitchen, hoping that Damon would still be there. Though there had been no indication that the mysterious hunter was after the anyone from this household, I had the feeling that if I didn't find them where I first looked I wasn't going to find them at all, so when I approached the kitchen and didn't hear any heartbeats I assumed the worse. I threw the door open, not even being careful enough to keep it from hitting the wall and ran inside. I surveyed my surroundings in full predator mode. Not seeing anything, I smelled the air. A dead body leaves an odor that is easy to recognize even when the body is still fresh, so it would be easy for me to tell if there was a corpse around. I sighed in relief when all I found were traces of Damon's smell.

Not having patience enough to search for him in the human way, I followed his scent, which led straight to that same patio we had hung out the day before. I smiled as I saw Damon rocking back and forth, his eyes unfocused and a small smile on his lips. I walked into his field of view, my smile becoming bigger as I thought of time we were going to spend together before he went to sleep and I had to keep and eye on the woods.

He jumped up once he saw me and his smiled changed from dreamy to excited. He was as eager as me to start our day together. At first, I had thought of planning to scout the tiny forest with Damon as a great excuse to scan the area for danger. Now I just wanted to be with him, no matter what we were doing. We spent some time just starring at each other, enjoying the proximity. I wanted to stay like that forever, but we both knew we couldn't. We just didn't know who was going to move first. I thought I was going to be the one to do it, but I found myself unable to move. Normally, that would have left me uneasy, but it didn't. Just for those moments nothing mattered, nothing but Damon.

• Shall we? - He finally asked, unlocking his eyes from mine.

• Yes, yes, of course. - I replied, getting back to real world.

Damon moved forward and grabbed my hand, gently rubbing it with his thumb. I smiled, wishing we could just stay in the abandoned patio for the rest of day, not having to go and face the world. For him, it wasn't so hard. He didn't know of all the things that were happening. The secret meeting his father was holding, the mystery deer, all that could turn into something none of us wanted it to. But I knew we had no choice but to confront our problems, so I accompanied him as he moved toward the stables.

I was glad to see Fulmineo. With the attack to the deer, I had been a little worried that maybe the killer had wanted to have a horse snack, but somehow I knew they wouldn't attack it. My new horse seemed to know how to take care of himself. He had known when the mystery hunter was around in the woods and that it wasn't safe to be out in the dark. Perhaps animals really were smarter than humans.

I climbed onto its back and waited for Damon outside the stables. I was anxious to start our walk, but at the same time I was worried that something would happen and I wouldn't be able to defend him and myself at the same time. I heard the familiar sound of hooves hitting the ground and my worries were thrown out of my mind. I turned my head and grinned as I saw Damon coming out of the stables on his majestic black horse. I ran ahead, inviting him to chase me. And so we went, chasing each other, to the forest's entrance, laughing in happiness and peace.

As we approached the woods, Fulmineo grew tenser. I knew better than ignore him once more, so I put myself on full alert. I looked behind me and saw that Damon was having trouble getting his horse to follow me in. It reared up, refusing to set a hoof in the woods. Damon sat helpless on its back, hugging the horse's neck for support and trying to calm it down. I turned Fulmineo around and went to help him. I knew that the horses' agitation showed that whatever it was that was threatening us was in the forest, and though I didn't want to put Damon in danger, I had go in. I patted the horse's mane and talked to it, my voice sweet and calm. It eyed me warily, but stopped its struggle and took a step into the woods.

I could hear Damon's heartbeats get faster as we entered the forest. The display his horse had put on had gotten him a little apprehensive, as he probably knew that animals could sense danger in a way a human couldn't even dream of. I wanted to lighten the mood, but I didn't know how. I thought about trying to start a conversation, but I was too nervous to keep it going. Finally, I remembered something I had heard when I was going after Katherine.

• Did you know that most people think that a monster was responsible for the attack on the deer? - I told him, in a lighthearted tone. They were right, but in a way they couldn't imagine.

• Yeah. Father says that there's a vampire in town. They are even forming a council with all the most important families. Honestly, I think he's spent too much time locked up in that studio of his. - Damon told me, smirking.

For a split of a second I couldn't even move. We had been spotted. Either that or the ghost hunter had given away that there were supernatural creatures in this area. If we were going to survive, we would need to move away or get help from someone who had influence on that council. It was only a matter of time before they found out about us. We needed to feed, and if anyone saw us feeding we were as good as dead. Even if we were careful there was always the chance that we would be caught or that the blood would be laced with vervain.

My mind calming down a little, I realized that they wouldn't consider Katherine or me as the vampires because we walked in daylight. My hand moved automatically to my necklace, a little pentagram decorated with several lapis lazuli rocks. That necklace was the only thing that kept the sun from burning me to ashes. It would only take a minute without it for my body to burn out completely. I knew the fear that humans had from us, and I couldn't say I didn't think they were right. We hunted them, we fed on their blood and we could easily use them as toys. Vampires had already started wars just by compelling a couple of important people. They had a reason to want us dead, to fear us, but that didn't keep me from wishing they would see that neither Katherine nor me posed any threat to them. We fed on human blood, but we seldom killed. There was no reason to kill, especially since we usually drank the blood from people we cared about.

Finally managing to calm down completely, I looked at Damon and laughed lowly, as if I though Giuseppe was being ridiculous but had too much respect for him to laugh out loud.

• Who is in this Council? - I asked him, my tone slightly mocking.

• All the founder families. Sheriff Forbes, Mr. Lockwood, Mr. Gilbert and Father. - Damon said, rolling his eyes.

That minute I knew I had to tell him about my little secret soon. If his father kept telling him horrible stories about vampires there was a chance he would turn on me. I could only hope his skepticism would continue to keep him from believing what Giuseppe told him after I showed him my true nature.

I turned my head back to the path our horses were following just in time to see something lurking in the shadows. Fulmineo reared up, scaring Damon's horse, which reared up as well. I lost the control I had over my horse's mood. I had been manipulating it just slightly so that I could get him to enter the woods, but now it was galloping out, jumping over fallen branches and avoiding low trees. If it wasn't for my fast reflexes, I would have been hit by something. I gave up on trying to stop Fulmineo and glanced back at Damon, but all I saw was the black silhouette of his horse running a few feet away from me, barebacked.

I threw myself out of the saddle, falling on the ground on my feet. I ran to the last place I had seen Damon, which was dangerously close to the mysterious creature. I found him laying on the dead leaves, groaning in pain. He was barely conscious, but he could still see me approaching. I scooped him up and walked out of the forest, trying not to shake him too much. It was my fault. I should have known better than to take him into the woods when I knew there was something hidden away in there. Now he was hurt and in pain and I was the one to blame.

I took him to the carriage house, as I didn't believe his father would have been very happy to find him hurt the way he was. I had to give him my blood, otherwise it would take him a really long time to recover. I eased him down on my bed and bit into my wrist, allowing the drops of blood to fall into his mouth. His eyes fluttered open and I gazed into them, my pupils dilating.

• You don't remember anything that happened in the woods. - I ordered him. I hated myself for doing that, but I didn't want him to find out about me this way.

• Did something happen? - He answered, his voice empty and distant.

• We went in, had a nice walk and came back to the carriage house because I had to change.

I caressed his hair lightly, thinking that it was for his own good. I was going to tell him that night, for sure. I couldn't keep him in the dark anymore. At first, it had been safer for him not to know, but now not knowing could get him killed.

I did have to change my dress. It was covered in dirt and torn in the places the branches had hit it. I put on another dress without even paying attention to what I was doing. My mind was focused on how I was going to tell Damon something so serious and important. I just knew it had to be that day. I was running out of time. Night was falling and if I wanted to tell him my little secret it would have to be soon.

I went back into my room to find Damon going through my things. I laughed and jumped on him, playfully tickling his sides. He fell on ground, also laughing, and started tickling me back. The war went on, each one of us trying to tickle the other into submission. There were tears running down my cheeks and my belly hurt from laughing. Damon was in a similar situation, gasping for air. But we continued to tickle each other until neither one of could go on.

• Who won? - He asked me, as soon as he could breath enough to talk.

• I don't know. I suppose none of us and both of us. - I answered, rolling to my side to look at him.

• Alright. - He took a deep breath and continued - I think I have to go now, it's getting dark. - As he said that, he got up from the floor.

• Okay. Will show me to my room? - I got up as well, though I really wanted to stay laid on the ground with him.

• What are you talking about? - He questioned, frowning.

• You told me I could spend the night on the main house yesterday, don't you remember? - I informed him, my tone one of mocking indignation.

• Oh, right. Sure, it would be my pleasure. - Damon said, a smile forming on his lips.

His hand found mine and his fingers wrapped themselves around it, caressing it. We walked out of the house, enjoying every minute of peace we could. I knew Damon's father would want to know what he was doing all day, and I also knew he wouldn't approve of it, so I didn't rush him even though I didn't like the idea of him walking outside in the middle of the night.

I felt as though the world had stopped just so I could appreciate that moment, its serenity and magic. The crickets sang their song, but for me it was a completely different song. It spoke of happiness and pleasure, of trials and tribulations, and of the ending that was up to me. Even though the troubles I was yet to face weren't out of my mind, they seemed small and easily forgotten. I wished I knew why I felt that way, but in the end, I knew it didn't matter.

It seemed both too soon and not soon enough that we reached the big doors that led to the inside of the main house. Damon took a deep breath and opened it, ready to face the wrath of his father. I knew that nothing too bad would happen to him by the hands of his father while I was standing beside him, but I couldn't always be there. I was careful to look clueless, so that things didn't get even worse for Damon, though what I really wanted was to have a nice, long chat with his father.

The minute we took a step inside, Giuseppe appeared in front of us. He looked angry, though the minute he saw me his face relaxed a little. I didn't know whether he was relieved to see that his son had been with me or if he didn't want me to know what Damon was in for. I gave him a shy smile, pretending that I was slightly embarrassed at being caught sneaking in with the older Salvatore.

• What were you doing out there so late at night? - Giuseppe half-shouted. He was trying to hide his anger underneath a mask of worry, but was failing miserably.

• I was entertaining our guests Father. Did you not say we should make them as comfortable as we could? - Damon challenged him.

Giuseppe was almost turning red. Damon's grip on my hand tightened and he pulled me inside, passing his furious father as though he was nothing but a piece of furniture. As we climbed up the stairs, I could feel his hurry to reach his room. I guessed it had come to be a safe haven from his father, a place where no one dared to enter without his consent. I knew they had several shouting matches, but his behavior made me wonder if there wasn't more to that story than what I knew.

Finally reaching his room, Damon rushed me inside and slammed the door behind himself. He made his way to his bed and sat down, allowing his eyes to show his sadness for a split of second before putting his walls back up.

• I suppose it'll be better for you to spend the night here, if you don't mind. - He told me, the corner of his lips turning up just slightly.

• It's alright. - I took a look around, curious to see what his room was like.

The walls were white and simple, with nothing on the shelves attached to it. I supposed most of his things were still packed on his baggage, as he had only gotten back the day before. His bedclothes were black, making a nice contrast with the whiteness of the rest of the room. His backpack was thrown carelessly on one corner. I wondered where the rest of his things were, but I knew that was none of my business.

Knowing that I shouldn't put it off for much longer, I sat beside Damon and prepared myself for what I had to say.

• Damon, you know that council your father and the other founders are forming? - I asked him, my voice changing to an almost shy tone.

• How do you know about that? - He inquired, his eyebrows going up in surprise. I had forgotten that he didn't remember anything that happened in the forest.

• I heard Giuseppe talking to Mr. Gilbert and Lockwood and Sheriff Forbes. Anyway, they are after vampires, aren't they? - I was trying to get him to lead me to the subject so that it didn't seem so thrown in.

• Yes. But they're crazy, if you ask me. Vampires only exist in children's tales. - Damon said, rolling his eyes.

• They do exist Damon. And I'm one of them. - I revealed, dropping my fangs to demonstrate.


	6. Revelations

**Disclaimer:** I enjoy writing about The Vampire Diaries, but no, I don't own it.

Chapter Six - Revelations

Damon just sat there, in complete shock. I was just about to retract my canines when his fingers made their way to my face and trailed the veins that had just appeared on my skin. I stayed still, allowing him to take in what I had just said. I wanted to close my eyes and just enjoy the feeling of his touch, but I wanted to observe his reaction. I knew that there was more at stake than just my relationship with Damon. If he told his father about me, Katherine and I would have to run away from Mystic Falls, so I had to be careful.

• So it's true. - He whispered - Vampires.

• Damon… - I started, trying to think of something to say.

• No. - He said, bringing his finger to my lips. - Bite me.

It took me a couple of seconds to understand what he had asked me. I wasn't sure if I should do it. I hadn't had any blood in some days and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to control myself. But I knew that he meant it, he really wanted me to bite him, so I let my fangs out and scooted closer to him. It felt slightly awkward, but at the same time I felt as though I should have done that earlier. Damon exposed his neck, inviting me to bite it. His eyes were closed, not in fear but in expectation. I touched his skin with my canines so that he knew what was coming. Then, faster than what I usually did, I sunk them into his aorta. He groaned in pain once, but he was soon overwhelmed by the pleasure it gave a human to share blood. I felt the sweet liquid flow into my mouth and I closed my eyes, relishing its taste and the intimacy of the moment. For a vampire, the act of drinking blood could be the most intimate of all.

I allowed myself to drink from him for a minute. I was thirsty, but what I was enjoying the most wasn't the blood, so it wasn't too hard for me to retract my fangs. I licked the puncture wounds and the bleeding stopped almost immediately. Damon looked up, slightly disappointed that it had already ended. I smiled and bit into my wrist for the second time that day. The blood flowed out of the wounds with more difficulty than on humans, but enough for him to drink. For a second, Damon just stared, trying to understand what I wanted him to do. I almost laughed. I had forgotten that humans weren't used to sharing blood. I got closer, almost putting the bleeding wound in his mouth so that he realized what he was supposed to do. Reluctantly, he parted his lips and allowed the red liquid to fall inside. At first, he just sat and let the blood go down his throat, but instinct eventually took over and he drank harder and harder until I pulled away.

Damon licked his lips clean and looked me in the eye, a small smile showing on the corners of his mouth.

• This won't turn me into a… you know… - He asked, his smile fading at the thought.

• A vampire? No, don't worry. I mean, if you die with it in your body, yes, but even then there's a whole transition phase, it's kind of complicated. - I told him, waving my hand in a dismissive gesture.

I heard a knock on the door and turned to Damon, raising my eyebrows. He thought for a minute, then just tried to hear what was on the other side, probably trying to know if it was his father. He shook his head energetically and brought his finger to his lips. I nodded, hoping that whoever was knocking hadn't heard anything.

• Damon Salvatore, I know you are in there! - Giuseppe shouted, banging his fist harder on the door.

We exchanged looks, agreeing that staying silent was probably the best option, though we knew we weren't going to escape either way.

• Come out, Damon, and I may not be so harsh! - Damon's father continued to yell, his voice getting angrier.

With a sigh, Damon got up, readjusting his shirt's collar so that it covered the healing puncture wounds. I sat up, trying to make things look a little less suspicious. I had completely forgotten about Giuseppe, otherwise I would never had exchanged blood with Damon there, where anyone could enter the room and see me with my fangs exposed and the veins in my face showing against my pale skin.

Looking back to see if I was done, Damon opened the door just was his father got ready to knock again. Giuseppe took a deep breath, puffing his chest. He was obviously about to start screaming at his son, but stopped once he realized I was there. His eyes widened as they wondered from me to a detail I had skipped in my hurry. There was a bloodstain on the carpet.

• Vampire. - He muttered - There's a vampire up here - His tone got louder - Vampire in the second floor - and louder - Vampire in the second floor - until finally it had reached the loudest tone it could.

I froze. I had been so careless. I didn't know what to do. If I could compel him, the problem would be solved, but I could smell the vervain he had drunk mixed with his coffee just a few minutes ago. All I could do was run away, but I knew I wouldn't be able to come back in Damon's lifetime. I also knew that talking to Giuseppe wouldn't get me anywhere, so I was left with nothing.

I felt a movement close to me and I realized that Damon was standing between his father and me. His body blocked my vision of Giuseppe, but I could guess that he was very surprised.

• What are you doing, son? - I heard him ask. I almost laughed at his use of "son". When he wanted something, his whole way of speaking changed, including how he addressed Damon.

• I'm keeping you from harming her, Father. - He put an emphasis on "Father", as if mocking him.

• Damon, you don't know the things she may have done to you. They are demons, son, and they are treacherous, deceiving beings. She can control your mind, make you feel things you never would have felt. - Giuseppe was pleading, but his voice still carried an angry vibe.

• No. If you want her, you will have to kill me. - Damon stated.


	7. Mistakes

**Disclaimer: **Nope, I don't own The Vampire Diaries.

Chapter 7 - Mistakes

Several men arrived, carrying vervain and wooden stakes. I sighed, wondering if they knew that if I decided to put up a fight they would never be able to catch me. Sure, I didn't plan on dying, I was just stalling for time. I had to come up with a plan. As the men approached, I felt Damon's body get tenser and his arms started to wrap around me. Though I was grateful, I didn't want him to get in trouble for me. I could take care of myself.

• Damon, don't. - I whispered in his ear, hoping that he would listen to me.

• Run. - He muttered.

At first, I didn't understand what he meant. But I realized just one second before it happened. He threw himself towards the armed guards, knocking them on the floor. I had already set of running, aware that there was nothing I could do even though I really wanted to help. I ran to the abandoned patio, knowing that if Damon went looking for me that would the first place he would search. I sat on the rocking bench, my eyes filled with sorrow. I didn't think that there was any chance he was still alive, after all, he was clearly outnumbered and by the eyes of anyone except maybe his brother he was a sympathizer. He wouldn't be spared. He would be killed and staked the minute he came back as a vampire.

I wished there was something I could do, but I would never be able to protect both him and myself from so many armed guards. All I could do was hope that, being Giuseppe's son, he wouldn't be killed, though I doubted it. I pictured the scene that was probably happening, felling more guilty than I had ever felt. I knew that I had done the right thing for both of us, as if I had helped we would be dead, but every time I thought of what was almost surely going to happen I had the urge to run back and help him. But I couldn't.

I heard steps and I immediately got up, though I didn't bare my fangs like every cell on my body was telling me to. As my mind returned to its normal state, I realized who it was. On the horizon, beaten-looking Damon ran towards me, smiling as he saw me standing there, without even a scratch. I shook my head, wondering if vampires really were cursed beings like most religions portrayed us. I wasn't feeling very cursed at that moment. In fact, I was wondering what I had done to deserve such a wonderful person like Damon.

I was about to set of running after him when I heard gunfire. He kept on running, though I saw his expression change from happy to worried. As he arrived at my side I muttered:

• They're after us. Vampires.

Then a thought crossed my mind. Katherine. We had arrived together, it was only logical that they concluded that she was a vampire as well. I may not have been Katherine's number one fan, but I was close to her and I wished her no harm. I wanted to help her, but if there was something I had learned from living with her was that she always had a backup plan and a backup plan for the backup plan, and they usually didn't include wait to be rescued.

• Stefan. - Damon whispered, worry showing on his eyes.

I wondered whether Stefan knew about Katherine's little secret. If he did, he had little chance of survival. I had to help them. If I didn't, they were all dead. I knew Katherine had a plan, but I also knew that Damon would never rely on a stranger to save his brother's life, so he would try to help and would end up ruining the original plan, so I had to help him and minimize the damage.

More gunfire. We had to go. I grabbed Damon's hand and dragged him behind me as I ran on human speed. I hid behind the carriage house, hoping that no one would use the back exit. I heard a commotion close to the main building. The sickening smell of vervain hit my nose and I was sure they had caught one of us. Damon's body stiffened as he saw the limp body of the captured vampire being dragged out of the house. I caressed his hand with my thumb, hoping that he understood that we couldn't help them all. I knew his main goal was to save his brother and that he would destroy anything that kept him from reaching it, but something about that moment made me wonder if he didn't want to rescue the others. Then I heard what I was listening for. A voice. Stefan's.

• Don't, Father! She hasn't hurt anyone! - He yelled. Though I couldn't see him, I could tell by his voice that he was crying.

I couldn't discern his father's answer from the gunfire sounds that kept getting closer. I tugged on Damon's arm and led him to a group of bushes behind the main house. I wasn't sure if I was going to make it out of there in one piece, but we had to try, even if we were going against all the odds. If I started to bet on the winner, I would have to turn myself over and tell them that Damon assisted my escape.

My instinct was starting to take over, but I knew I couldn't allow it. In situations like this, instinct did help, but you had to maintain your mind clear, otherwise you couldn't make up a plan. Not that I had one. The circumstances were too unpredictable. All I knew was that I had to get to Stefan and Katherine and run away from Mystic Falls. After what he did, Damon was going to have to accompany me, though I believed that had been his plan all along.

It seemed like there were guards everywhere, scouting every inch of the Estate, as well as the city. I heard a scream coming from somewhere near us and then the footsteps started to get closer. We had been spotted. I didn't know how, but I knew we had to get out of there. Damon pulled me towards an open window and we climbed in. I flinched as I touched the windowsill. Vervain. It was quite probable that the whole place was covered in it, but I had to get in.

The place reeked of the herb, though not enough for it to actually hurt me. Damon led me to the living room, which gave me a good view of the exterior. It was too dark for him to see anything, but I could clearly make out the scene. On the road, there was a carriage which was being loaded with the captured vampires. I flinched when I saw Pearl, an acquaintance of mine, knocked out and being dragged inside the cell. I knew her daughter, Annabelle, was nearby, probably dying to do something to help her mother but unable to think of anything. I was quite familiar with that feeling.

Then I saw what I was looking for. Coming out of the carriage house, was Stefan, yelling and gesturing, still trying to convince his father to let Katherine go free. I knew Giuseppe would never do it, but I had to admire his efforts. Damon lifted his eyebrows in both pride for his little brother and surprise. I tugged him towards the exit. We had to go outside, no matter how many armed vampire hunters there were out there.

We hid inside a patch of forest that circled the road and watched as Katherine was carried into the cell. I had never imagined I would see her looking so fragile. She always had a wicked idea or plan, she was always ready for whatever was to come, but there she was, knocked out and chained up, being led to her death. Sure, I still thought she had a plan to free herself, but she didn't look like it.

I heard footsteps approaching fast behind us and I got down, pulling Damon with me. I sighed in relief when I saw it was only Stefan. I got up, expecting him to say something to his brother, or to start planning Katherine's rescue, but he didn't. All he did was stare at the carriage with a serious look. I tried to understand what he was thinking, but I couldn't.

A group of guards arrived, carrying with them one more vampire. The man who was keeping an eye on the cell opened it, they threw their charge in and the man closed the door, putting his keys on his belt. The guards went away, answering one of many calls for help. Then I understood what Stefan was planning since he arrived.

He ran towards the key keeper and jumped on him just as he turned his back. The guard was thrown of the ground and passed out from the impact. Damon and I picked up the key, which had slider our way, and opened the door. Katherine couldn't move, so we took her out and put her on the floor, trying to untangle her from all the ropes.

I heard some noises coming from behind us, but I couldn't tell if they were approaching or not. I was working as fast as I could, but the vervain on the ropes made it almost impossible for me to help. I heard one of the guns firing and I tried to get the boys down, but I wasn't fast enough. A bullet hit Damon straight on his heart. He fell, groaning in pain, with his hand reaching towards both Stefan and me. I flew to his side, biting into my wrist in the hope that my blood would heal him. Damon managed to lift his hand and brought mine down. I knew I should keep working and come back for him later, but I couldn't bring myself to do anything. I had to save him. He couldn't become a vampire, he didn't want to. That was a decision you had to think over as many times as possible, not one to be made like that.

There tears running down my face as I looked into his eyes and said the words that had been on my mind for some time but I had never said.

• I love you, Damon.

He smiled, though I could see it took every ounce of his strength. He took a deep breath, wincing at the pain it caused him and murmured:

• I love you too.

He took a few more breaths, each becoming harder than the last, until his stubble ended and his eyelids fluttered, finally closing. I passed my hand through his hair, the tears refusing to stop. I would have stayed there all day long if another gunshot hadn't brought me back to reality.

Stefan fell on the ground beside his brother, his hand on Katherine's.


	8. Death

**Disclaimer: **If I owned The Vampire Diaries I would definitely not be writing fan fiction about it. Just to clarify, I don't own The Vampire Diaries.

Chapter 8- Death

I glanced over my shoulder just in time to see a horde of soldiers and civilians running towards us. In front of them, leading the group, was Giuseppe. I gasped as I saw what he had in his hand. A gun. I wanted to believe that he hadn't been the one who shot Damon and Stefan, but I couldn't, as no one else was armed with firearms. For a second, all I wanted was to tear his throat open and kill him slowly, really slowly, feeling each drop of blood that fell into my mouth and savour it before moving on to the next one, but I knew I had other priorities. I had to get Stefan and Damon to safety.

With a last look at the approaching mass, I picked up the boys and ran. I heard the crowd getting agitated, starting to scream and murmur, planning how to take me down, but I didn't stop, not even at the most gruesome and cruel ideas. Bullets rushed past me, missing my back by inches. I could have dogged them, but to do so I would have to leave the Salvatore brothers behind. I couldn't do that. The world soon became a mess of noises, smells and colors, all blended together as one from the speed I was in.

As I ran, I tried to take in what had happened. I had been so worried that Katherine would kill them, turning them into vampires, but in the end the one who killed them was their own father. I wasn't exactly innocent either. I shouldn't have fed Damon without telling him the consequences first. I was selfish, though I didn't realize what could come out of it, and now he would have to pay. But on the other hand, he would be really dead if he didn't have vampire blood in his veins when was shot. I couldn't decide which scenario was worse. I didn't hate being what I was, but I wished that I had had a choice.

I could smell the flowers from Katherine's secret house. I was close, but the bullets were almost hitting me. If I didn't get rid of my baggage I would never make it to safety. Then I had an idea. I leaped from the place I was standing and threw the boys toward the garden, grabbing a branch on my way down. I allowed my body to rock back and forward for a few seconds, waiting for the right moment. Just as the mob spotted me, I threw myself to the next tree. For a while, I managed to avoid them by climbing high and jumping around, but I knew I couldn't keep it on for ever. I would have to face them. My muscles were starting to shake from exhaustion and my reflexes were getting slower. It was only a matter of time before I missed. With a sigh, I jumped down.

• Let's get this over with, shall we? - I muttered, shooting one last glance towards the secret house.

I turned around and evaluated my chances. There were at least 20 people, all running after me with stakes and vervain weapons of various kinds. Part of me wanted to believe that my odds weren't all that bad, but I knew better than to hope for a miracle. I might have been stronger and faster than humans, but even then I would have a hard time beating so many armed men at the same time. But I had to try, I knew that.

I allowed my fangs to drop and a rush of energy overcame me. That was my nature, what I liked to do and what I had done for centuries. Fighting. Beating impossible odds, if they ever happened to cross my path. I may not have been the most bloodthirsty vampire I ever met, but I enjoyed the feeling of the red substance on my tongue, slowly feeding my body what it most desired, just as much as any other of my kind. As that thought crossed my mind, my whole body shifted to hunter mode. There was a battle approaching and I intended to win it.

The display didn't scare me, not anymore. If I was going down, I was going down fighting. But on the very back of my mind, a voice still told me that I should just turn around and run. Of course, that voice was right, but there were other lives at stake. Damon's life was at stake. If those people reached the house before it was secured, they would die. I had never gotten around to figuring out what was Katherine's security system, but I was sure that, like any security system, it took some time for it to be ready. And I was the one who was going to hold them of.

The little voice on the back of my mind refused to shut up. Even though I knew my decision was right, it still kept on nagging at me, showing me that I was being self-destructive. I tried to calm it thinking that I had already won fights like that, in which all the odds were against me, and worse ones, but I just couldn't silence it. Sometimes being right really makes you impossible to ignore. However, nothing could change my mind.

I climbed on a tree branch. I had always fought better from high locations, and I would really need any advantage I could get. As the mass approached, I imagined what would happen to Stefan and Damon. Knowing Katherine, I guessed that she had fed Stefan her blood. If I was right, they both had a big decision to make. I just wished they had more time, or at very least that I could be there to help them, to show them what it's like to be a vampire. But odds were that I wouldn't make it through the night. If that meant giving Damon a chance of survival, I was alright with it.

Then they arrived. I tried to make as little noise as I could, hoping that maybe they hadn't seen the house, as it was as dark as the abyss, and would turn around and leave. But they didn't.

Time seemed to pass slowly as they gathered around the tree I was perched in. I waited until they were all in position to attack, watching the way they organized themselves, trying to figure out what their behavior in a fight would be. But my mind wasn't helping me. My thoughts kept drifting to Damon. I wanted to know if he was safe, if he was coming back normally, if he was mad at me for getting him killed and so many other things. All I asked was to die knowing that he was ok, that _we_ were ok.

Finally, all the horde was organized, surrounding the tree. I looked down at them, thinking about how they all looked like little ants on the ground, the stakes and torches being the ant's mandible, its most dangerous part. Then I realized I was out of excuses. I had to go down and fight them, it didn't matter whether I wanted to or not. I had reached the point of no return.

I jumped down, crashing a man's spinal column as I did so, and possibly breaking his neck. I was careful to put out his torch on the ground to avoid a fire. The others surrounded me and I couldn't help but think "One down, 19 to go". They all jumped on me and I lifted myself up on a tree branch. I watched, rather amused, as they crashed and stabbed each other, thinking they were stabbing me. With that move, I had only around fifteen guys to worry about. I jumped back down, using the same strategy I had before, and attacked. I was tired of playing games and I knew they wouldn't fall for my tricks for too long. I should save them for the end.

In a matter of minutes I had almost all of them dead, mortally wounded or paralytic. My clothes were tattered from the stake blows that were struck against me and my body was covered in gashes. I was pretty happy with myself until I realized a small detail, I was cornered. I was surrounded, I didn't have anywhere to run and I didn't have the strength to fight them. I closed my eyes, ready for the stake to crush my heart. But nothing happened. I heard some movements around me and I cracked my eyelids open. In front of me, I saw a blonde mane of hair. Then my whole world went dark.


	9. Unexpected Guest

Disclaimer: I may wish I owned The Vampire Diaries, but I don't.

Chapter Nine- Unexpected Guest

When I came to myself, I was in a dark room. My enhanced vision could just barely see through the thick darkness that surrounded me. I eased myself up, wondering when I would see my saviour. I had a feeling that I knew who it was. I passed a hand on my arm, expecting to find a big cut, but instead I was met with a thin white scar, which disappeared under my fingers. I frowned. Since I lost a lot of blood, it shouldn't have closed unless I fed, and I had just woken up.

Just as I was about to jump to my feet and get out of that oppressive little room, the door cracked open. A woman walked in, carrying with her a knocked out man. I got up, my mouth falling with surprise. Lexi. I hadn't seen her in a hundred years, literally.

- I brought you food. - She told me, shifting uneasily.

- Thanks. And thanks for saving my life back there. - I said, my voice showing almost no emotion.

She handed me the guy she had been carrying. I picked him up, wondering why she had saved me. We hadn't parted in the best of terms. Actually, the way we had parted was so far from best of terms it probably didn't even know best terms. I bit into his throat, expertly piercing his aorta. The bittersweet taste of blood invaded my mouth, making a wave of relief wash over me. I wished I could drain him dry and relish every single ounce of the red liquid he had in his body and, by his weight, that was a lot. But as I felt the flow slowing down, I stopped. I knew I had to, even though I could feel my veins burning for more. It had been a long time since I had last felt such a strong urge to feed.

I looked up to find that Lexi was still standing at the doorway. I knew her. She wasn't one to stand still for too long. She wanted something, I was sure of it.

- What, Lexi? - I asked her, trying not to sound as rude as I had sounded when I thought the words.

- Why are you here? Why did you come back after all what happened? - She answered, her voice carrying a genuine concern.

- That was a long time ago. I didn't think anything would happen again. Well, the stay was good while it lasted. - I replied, my eyes getting slightly dreamy as I remembered my blood exchange with Damon.

Lexi looked down, shaking her head. I could see the start of a smile forming on her lips. I wished nothing had ever happened between us. I really liked her, though I was still angry at her. When you have eternity to live, forgiving takes time. There's no point in saying that life is too short to be spent being angry at someone. I had literally all the time in the world.

By the time I snapped out of my thoughts, Lexi was gone. I glanced at the limp body in my hands, remembering what had happened earlier that day. I knew I had to get to Stefan and Damon, but I also knew that I needed my strength back, so I closed my eyes and allowed myself to fall asleep.

_Somewhere North of Virginia, 1700._

_Lexi and I stood in new ground. No one really knew what laid ahead. Travelers had already died trying to cross through the wilderness that woke up at nightfall. And that was exactly why we wanted to go there. I, for one, was curious. Lexi, being a young vampire, was eager for a challenge, for a way to try out her new powers. With an adventurous grin, we walked into the dense forest._

_I never saw it coming. The city, the gas-lit lights, the civilization... There was a whole culture developing in the jungle and no one knew about it. After so many deaths, no one wanted to explore the place. I couldn't blame them. If I was human, I was sure I wouldn't have been so confident about going into unknown territory where a lot of people had died._

_Night came and we settled into our beds. The inhabitants of the city had welcomed us with open arms and even offered us a bed to sleep in. I had been looking forward to sleeping properly. It had been over a day since we last saw a bed and a good night's sleep. We really needed it._

_We were woken up by the slicing pain of knives cutting out throats. I had hardly been gladder about being a vampire than at that time. As I tried not to think about the pain, I wondered why they had chosen that method of kill. I supposed their weapons were more efficient that way. I allowed my eyes to close once more as the blood poured out of my neck. I didn't want them to know that I was alive, that they couldn't kill me like that. Our best chance of escape was to fake our deaths._

_By the time the men left the room, my wound was already healed. I positioned Lexi's head so that the blood had a hard time running out of her veins. The less of it she lost, the faster she would heal. I kept my ears open for any sign of movement outside our little cottage. They, whoever they were, didn't seem to be planning on coming back to check up on their work. Good for us._

_As Lexi finally healed, I told her about our situation. I could see in her eyes that something was wrong, but I dismissed it as stress. I really wasn't in the mood to look into it. All I wanted was to go back to my cosy little house in England._

_You did this! You should have protected me like you promised, you should have seen this coming! - Lexi shouted at me as we approached the nearest city._

_Lexi, I didn't know! And you should look out for yourself as well! I won't be around forever, you know? - I screamed back at her._

_You know what? Fine. Go home. I'll stay here, looking out for myself. - She replied, her tone going back to normal._

_Fine. - Was my only answer._

_I couldn't blame her. We could have died. They could have been more primitive and used stakes instead of knives. If they did, we would have been dead in a matter of seconds. Besides, young vampires aren't used to the strength of their emotions. She couldn't handle her anger. I should have been responsible and dealt with her, but I was upset, tired and still a little bit in pain. Not a good combination._

I woke up with a jump. I couldn't remember all the details of our little adventure, but what I had dreamed had been enough to leave me uneasy. Seeing Lexi again had stirred up old memories, ones I didn't care for. I only wished there was something I could do about it. Maybe she didn't want me gone anymore. She could have left me to die. But I knew her. I knew that she didn't kill, and leaving me to die would have been almost the same as killing. I could only hope that she didn't hate me anymore. By some reason that I failed to understand, even after so much time resenting her, I still wanted her back by my side. I trusted her, and at that moment I needed someone who I trusted. Not someone like Katherine, but someone like Lexi.

I got up, my legs still feeling a little bit sore, and went looking for her. Maybe, if she wasn't still angry with me, she would be willing to help.

I found her in the living room, a book open on her lap. I smiled. Though Lexi had always been a rather agitated girl, she still somehow managed to love books. I understood her. I had always found them to be a great source of entertainment. They had the ability to suck you into a whole new world, a world that could be anyway you wanted.

- Lexi, I'm... I'm sorry for... you know what. - I said, my voice lowering as I finished the sentence.

- It's alright. I forgave you a long time ago. I thought you were the one that hadn't forgiven me. - She muttered, her brown eyes looking up at me with such repent that I actually felt bad for her.

I mentally cursed myself. I should have looked for her the minute I got back to the United States, 40 years before. But I had forgotten. I had chosen to forget. It hurt me to think of one of my best friends telling me go away. I didn't travel around with anyone. It took me some time to be sure that I could trust my new traveling companion, and during that time a bond developed. Having Lexi say that she wanted me gone had felt like a stake stabbing my heart. For a long time, I had tried not to feel anything, to just put the whole event behind me. Needless to say, it had only been a temporary solution, since there I was, standing in front of Lexi and feeling a wave of sadness and guilt hitting me. I knew there was no time for me to feel bad. Damon and Stefan needed me as soon as possible.

- Are you ready for some adventure, Lexi? - I asked her, a smile stretching across my face. - It's probably going to be dangerous.

- Yes, I am. - She said, her voice sounding much happier.

I ran out of the house, Lexi close behind me, towards Mystic Falls .

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I'm very sorry for the long wait! The next chapter will be up in much less time!<strong>


	10. Hoping For the Best

Disclaimer: For the tenth time in this story, I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Chapter Ten- Hoping for the Best

As I ran out of Lexi's house, I had the distinct feeling that I wouldn't see that place again for some time. Newborn vampires could be a handful, and since Katherine was away, I had to take up the roll of babysitting them. I thought of the moment I fed Damon my blood, an act I did without much thinking, an instinct I chose to follow, which ended up being a decision I made for him. I never meant for anything like that to happen. I knew what it was like to have no choice in such an important matter, and so the few times I did think about turning those I fell in love with, I always gave them them the chance to choose, to have at least some control over their lives. I wished it had been like that with Damon. I was worried about Stefan as well, but his turning wasn't as much my fault as it was Katherine's. I knew I should have tried harder to keep her from messing with him, but I had enough guilt weighting on my mind as it was. I didn't need to take up someone else's.

When we started to approach Mystic Falls, I instructed Lexi to stay hidden. It wasn't safe to risk walking out in the open so soon after the conflict I had been in. Chances were that they weren't done surveying the town for any vampires they hadn't killed, and if that was the case, we would be easily identified.

The protected house laid just a few miles away from the city, on the opposite direction from the Veritas Estate. The smell of freshly cut grass and wet vegetation was the first indication we had that we were close to the Katherine's lair. She had always been careful to take care of any property she owned, and in that case I knew that it was Emily. She had been indebted to the vampire since Katherine had saved her life, and thus she tagged along to anywhere she went. The witch had been the one to spell that house so that it was safe from anyone who meant harm to its inhabitants.

As we crossed the magical barrier and entered the realm of safety, I realized just how much I would have to deal with in the days to come. I knew what it felt like when the world changed around you, when the way you perceived the world changed. I could still remember when all of that happened to me. It was exhilarating, but scary and confusing at the same time. Some people were drawn to it and saw it as a gift, while others wanted no part in it. I was in for a rough ride, and the two transitioning vampires were in for a even rougher one. If all went according to plan, they'd make it through.

I spotted the two brothers enjoying the sunny afternoon, a sullen look in their faces. I sighed, immediately knowing that they wouldn't want to turn. It wasn't my place to tell them what to choose, but I really wanted them to become vampires. Like with anything, being a creature of the night had its ups and downs, but I wanted to be with Damon for longer than I had the chance. If they didn't drink human blood by the following afternoon, they would die.

As I heard them talking, I hid in the house's roof, curious to know what they were chatting about.

- I don't want it, Stefan. - Damon told his brother - Not after what happened to Katherine and Julia. I would have accepted it if they were alive, but I don't want to live forever alone. I want someone to spend it with.

- I'd be there with you! - Stefan exclaimed - Don't you feel like the world is suddenly so much more beautiful, full of mystery?`

- No, Stefan! It seems cold and lonely. We don't belong here, brother. We're dead. They're dead.- Damon's voice changed from angry to sad and irritated as he finished the sentence.

- We don't know that. They may have escaped.

- No, Stefan. They are dead, I know it. - Damon assured, his voice grim and filled with sorrow.

Stefan nodded, lowering his head. I could only wonder what was going through their heads. I was all for having the choice, but choosing could be a cruel process. I wished there was something I could do to make it easier, but I knew that the only way I could help was to be there, to answer any questions they might have and just simply offer moral support.

- That's your choice, Damon? To die? - Stefan asked, his voice no more than a whisper.

- Yes. - His brother answered.

- Then I shall die with you.

With a sigh, I jumped out of the roof. I wished they would rethink their decision, though I was happy for them. Being a vampire wasn't easy, and if they didn't want to be one, I had no objections. But within a day's time, if they didn't feed, they would slowly and painfully die. I didn't know if I could just sit by and watch their lives fade away, but I knew I couldn't leave. I cared too much.

I walked over to the two brothers and sat beside Damon, wondering what their reaction would be. It took them a second to realize that someone else was there.

- Julia! - Damon exclaimed, his eyes widening in wonder. - You... you're dead!

- Yes and no. I died some centuries ago, yes, but not recently. - I replied, chuckling at them.

Damon didn't say another word. He was staring at me like that was going to be the last time he would have an opportunity. Stefan was quiet, but I could see that he wasn't as stunned as his brother. He was silently plotting something, and I had an idea of what.

- Stefan... I don't know what happened to Katherine. I'm sorry. - I told him.

I could see the hope that had sparkled in his eyes when he saw me wither away. I knew how important Katherine had been to him. She had a way of making everyone fall for her. Through the years I spent with her, I saw her seduce many men just by looking at them. It was a gift I had never been able to figure out. She used and abused of it, but not in one instance had I seen her use it with as much passion as she did with Stefan. I believed Katherine genuinely liked him.

As Damon came out of his trance, he offered me his hand and led me inside. I was trying to enjoy every moment of his company, but I couldn't. My thoughts kept drifting to the fact that, if I couldn't convince him to turn, he would be dead within a day. I hadn't been ready for that, for losing him and gaining him back just to watch him die one more time. I told myself that I would make it through, just like I had done other times, but I wasn't sure. People like Damon only came once in a lifetime, and for a vampire, that was a long, long time.

He brought me closer and our lips crashed. I couldn't believe what was happening, the wonder of the moment. It was like time stopped just for us, just so we could enjoy each other's company. As the kiss deepened, I allowed myself to forget all what had happened on the previous day. Lexi, Damon and Stefan's deaths, Katherine's capture, it all faded for a second, giving me the opportunity to throughly enjoy the kiss, our first kiss and possibly our last.

- I missed you. - He whispered in my ear as we broke apart.

- Me too. - I answered.

He took a step back and I knew what he was readying himself to say. I didn't know if I wanted to hear it, but I knew I had to. My being alive could change a lot, and there was a slim chance that he had reconsidered, that he wasn't so sure about letting himself die. Though I didn't want to get my hopes up, I could feel a part of me lighting up with the thought that maybe, just maybe, he might live to see another night.

- I'm... I'm not sure I can turn. - Damon said, the confusion and doubt he was going through clear in his voice. He grabbed my hands and continued - I know you want me to, but I'm just not sure I can go through with it.

I nodded, swallowing the tears that threatened to run down my face. That decision was his make, and I refused to let my personal feelings interfere. If he was to turn, I wanted his change of heart to come from his own emotions and facts. I had already changed too much. Both Stefan and Damon could have lived normal, human lives, had kids, jobs and eventually die. But they would have to either die that day or live indefinitely, never being able to settle down with a family. I liked being a vampire, but I couldn't deny that it had its downsides.

- I can't let Stefan die alone. - He complemented. - I'd go for it, Julia, but I can't let my little brother die by himself.

I was stunned by his sudden revelation. I had never thought about that. Cursing myself mentally for being so self-centered, I allowed my gaze to drift from Damon to Stefan. Even from that distance, I could see how lost he was. He looked like someone who had loved and lost. I supposed the only way he would ever agree to change was if Katherine was alive. Though I was almost sure she hadn't died, I knew of no way to find her. When she didn't want to be found, it was almost impossible to find her.

Damon unlinked his hands from mine and made his way to his brother. During my short stay in the Veritas Estate, I had only seen Damon and Stefan together once, so I hadn't paid much attention to their relationship. I hadn't expected them to be so close, but I could see that they would trust each other with their lives. I stood there, watching as Damon comforted his brother and told him he was not alone, that he would die with him. I was so entranced by the scene that I didn't even listen as someone entered the room.

- He won't do it, will he? - I heard Lexi asking me.

- No. He wants to die with his brother.

I turned around and made my way to a set of chairs that had a direct view to the outside. Lexi joined me as I stared at the outside world, no longer paying attention to the Salvatore's conversation. I wanted to get my mind off all what had happened like I had when I kissed Damon, I wanted to rewind time so that I never even met them. Losing Damon was too much for me.

- I tried to warn you. - Lexi said, as if she could read my thoughts - The deer.

- That was you? What were doing in Mystic Falls? - I asked her.

- News travel fast. I heard that you were back in America, staying in Mystic Falls, and I decided to pay you a visit. Then I overheard Giuseppe talking about killing vampires, so I tried to warn you. - She explained.

- Why didn't you talk to me? I was freaking out with the whole mysterious deer thing! - I scolded her, almost laughing.

- I suppose I just didn't want to talk to you. I was still a bit angry. - Concluded Lexi.

I sighed and turned my attention back to the boys talking outside. They were still enjoying the last few rays of the afternoon sun and chatting. I wished I could join them, but I knew I would be an intruder. Taking one last glance at the brothers, a glance I knew might be the last, I exited the kitchen and made my way to my room, trying to clear my head of all thoughts related to Damon. It had been a long day and, even though I had taken a nap, I was feeling really tired. I knew, though, that it would take me some time to fall asleep. But as I put on my nightgown, my eyelids started to feel heavy. Glad that I wouldn't have to toss and turn as I tried to sleep, I laid down on my bed and closed my eyes. My last thought before entering the realm of dreams was that I didn't think I was going to be able to get up the next morning, not knowing whether Stefan and Damon were still alive.


End file.
